SM U-88

History
German Empire
Name:	U-88
Ordered:	23 June 1915
Builder:	Kaiserliche Werft Danzig
Yard number:	32
Laid down:	20 November 1915
Launched:	22 June 1916
Commissioned:	7 April 1917
Fate:	5 September 1917 - Presumably mined off Terschelling. 43 dead (all hands lost)
General characteristics
Class and type:	German Type U 87 submarine
Displacement:	757 t (745 long tons) surfaced 998 t (982 long tons) submerged
Length:	65.80 m (215 ft 11 in) (o/a) 50.07 m (164 ft 3 in) (pressure hull)
Beam:	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (oa) 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	9.35 m (30 ft 8 in)
Draught:	3.88 m (12 ft 9 in)
Installed power:	2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion:	2 shafts, 2 × 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers
Speed:	15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) surfaced 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph) submerged
Range:	11,380 nmi (21,080 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth:	50 m (160 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament:	4 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (two bow, two stern) 10-12 torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) deck gun 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (?)
Service record
Part of:	Imperial German Navy III Flotilla
Commanders:	Kptlt. Walther Schwieger 23 July 1916 – 5 September 1917
Operations:	4 patrols 18 May – 5 September 1917
Victories:	12 merchant ships sunk (39,382 GRT) 2 merchant ships damaged (845 GRT)

SM U-88 was a Type U 87 submarine built for the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) in World War I. U-88 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

U-88 is most notable for sinking and taking with her Kapitänleutnant Walther Schwieger, responsible for sinking the RMS Lusitania when he was commander of 'U-20. The submarine came to an end on 5 September 1917 when being chased by HMS Stonecrop, hit a British mine and sank in the North Sea north of Terschelling at 53°57′N 4°55′E / 53.950°N 4.917°E / 53.950; 4.917Coordinates: 53°57′N 4°55′E / 53.950°N 4.917°E / 53.950; 4.917. Everyone on board U-88 was killed.

German Type U 87 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 81 submarines. U-88 had a displacement of 757 tonnes (745 long tons) when at the surface and 998 tonnes (982 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 65.80 m (215 ft 11 in), a pressure hull length of 50.07 m (164 ft 3 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in), and a draught of 3.88 m (12 ft 9 in). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,200 metric horsepower (880 kW; 1,200 shp) engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).

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